Doctor Who_ Beyond the Sun - Matthew Jones [42]
Bernice was too pleased that they were both alive to feel angry.
‘Well?’ Margaret demanded. ‘Can’t you answer me?’
Bernice hadn’t realized that the old woman was expecting an answer to her question. ‘Oh, I’m sorry. I don’t know why they’ve come to your village. But, yes, I should think it is at least possible that they are looking for us. I think it must have been them who shot our ship down from orbit last night.’
‘I didn’t think you were Ursulan. What were you doing in orbit anyway? This is a closed world: a treaty prohibits contact with us.’
Bernice started to feel frustrated with the woman. ‘Well if I’d known that my arrival was going to upset you so much I would have tried to crash somewhere else.’
‘You can make jokes about it, but your arrival may well cause people to die. The Sunless have burnt villages to the ground because people wouldn’t wear their uniforms. All of my brothers and sisters among them. I’m the only one left of my Eight.’
Bernice was suddenly aware that the whole room was listening to their conversation. ‘I’m sorry.’
The woman slammed her stick against the stone floor. ‘I don’t want a stranger’s sorrow. What use is that to me? I want the people I care about to stay alive. I want to stay alive. You being here puts us all in danger.’
‘Well, my friend will die unless he gets medical help. I appreciate that we’ve broken your laws by coming here and I’ll answer to whoever’s in charge if I have to. But we didn’t mean any . . .
harm.’ Her voice trailed away as she realized that people in the room were talking over her. A few people were looking at her as if she were saying something they couldn’t quite understand; others were shaking their heads and laughing.
‘What? What have I said?’
The tall reptilian, who had been standing behind her during her confrontation with Margaret, rested a claw on her shoulder. ‘You won’t convince anyone of your intentions if you talk like a subject.’
‘A subject?’ She could feel his breath against her neck. It was cool and fresh. ‘I’m not sure that I know what you mean.’
‘That is very clear, Bernice Summerfield. My suggestion to you is to stop talking and take some food to your friends. You’re just digging yourself deeper into shit here.’
‘What about Margaret?’ Bernice said, nodding towards the elderly woman, who was still staring malevolently at her.
‘What about her?’
‘I get the feeling that she isn’t going to leave me alone.’
‘I think you’re right. What do you want to do?’
Bernice laughed hollowly. ‘Tell her to shove that stick where the sun don’t shine.’
The reptilian made a cooing noise, which Bernice guessed was laughter. ‘Then do it.’
The idea was tempting but she decided against it. Partly because she could tell that Margaret was hurting beneath her anger; partly because she wasn’t yet sure that she could trust the softly spoken reptile man; but mostly because she didn’t want to add to the scene she had created.
She’d had the eyes of these people on her for far longer than felt comfortable. So she told Margaret that she was too tired to talk to her now and was going to sit down. Bernice was surprised when the old woman let her go with a dismissive shrug.
Her new friend directed her over to the cooking area. Strips of vegetable were being roasted over part of the fire. At the reptile’s invitation, Bernice picked off several strips using wooden tongs which were quite hot to the touch. There was a selection of what looked like sauces or dips nearby, but Bernice wasn’t sure whether it would be the done thing to carry one of the bowls to the table. Several of the people in the room were still staring at her and she didn’t want to appear selfish or greedy. She was aware of her new friend filling a plate with vegetables next to her. She was glad of his presence beside her.
Scott had taken an Ursulan girl, Yvonne, and a stretcher to retrieve Errol and, while she was extremely grateful for this, Bernice